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Susan Inglis, executive director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, stopped by the Classic Rug booth Monday to say hello to founder Barbara Barran.

The Council was started about four years ago to promote best practices. “We do a lot to guide the industry,” Inglis says. SFC members make a public commitment to sustainability.


Customers only continued to flood the Classic Rug booth at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this year.

“The design is very organic and has a great look. I love how green her products are!” says Alma Nugent of Nugent Designs.

Maria Letti, a journalist from Brazil, agrees. She described Barran’s aesthetic as organic and natural, making her feel “at home.”


Leigh Ann Tischler with Sony USA says Classic Rug did an incredible custom job for them of rugs in the shape of molecules for their HDNA marketing campaign. Owner Barbara Barran also created pieces practically overnight for Sony’s flagship store.

“She’s one of the most efficient and reliable vendors we’ve had!”

Scott Chaney of Scott Chaney Photography has been taking pictures of Barbara’s product for almost a decade. “Barbara is one of a sparse handful of people in the industry that has the business integrity that everyone wishes everybody had.”


Classic Rug just launched a line of felt pillows and ottomans, with patterns all based on her children’s rugs. The felt is from National Nonwoven, based in the U.S., and the foam is from a company in Long Island City. Barran sourced locally because she wanted parents to have confidence in the quality of the product.

National Nonwoven recycles the water used during their dying process and also recycles any felt fibers they don’t feel are up to their high standard.


Classic Rug owner Barbara Barran says the past few days have proven Tilt — a 100 knot, hand-knotted banana silk rug — an absolute hit!

“I wanted something bright after the winter we had!” Barran said. “I think people like it so much because of the coloration.”

She picked a coordinating blossom rug, Checkerboard, to offset Tilt on the opposite wall.


Designer and master craftsman Tucker Robbins poses in front of one of Classic Rug’s New Naturals, Helix, an 80-knot, 5×7 hand-knotted dyed hemp. “You can’t get more perfect than hemp!” Robbins exclaims.

“It will never fade or go away!” And it was a fabulous offset to his Nantucket Reds, we might add.